← Montana fishing maps

Best brook trout lakes in Montana

101 Montana waters hold brook trout, 97 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The native char of cold ponds and streams. Needs the coldest, cleanest water in the lake.

1. Canyon Ferry Reservoir — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
2. Hauser Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
3. Swan Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
4. Whitefish Lake — 220 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
5. Clark Canyon Reservoir — 91 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Common Carp, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
6. Gibson Reservoir — 165 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Arctic Grayling, Cutthroat TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Lake Sherburne — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
8. Lake McDonald — 162 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
9. Mcgregor Lake — 220 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Pishkun Reservoir — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Georgetown Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Lindbergh Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Willow Creek Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Tally Lake — 450 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
15. Lake Sutherlin — 51 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
16. Newlan Reservoir — 87 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Lake Helena — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
18. Hubbart Reservoir — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Lake Inez — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. St Marys Lake — 240 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Mcdonald Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Fox Lake (Park) — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Arctic GraylingWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Spar Lake — 200 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Coopers Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Brook Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Glen Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 76 more Montana waters holding brook trout.

Find the closest brook trout waters to you →

When to fish brook trout in Montana

• Spring 2–15 ft — Ice-out scatters brookies along shorelines and inflow mouths, feeding on the first insect activity.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Brookies hold where the coldest water is — spring holes, deep basin edges and inflow plumes.
• Fall 2–15 ft — Fall is the show: brilliant spawning colors on gravel shoals and inflow gravel.
• Winter 3–20 ft — A classic ice-fishing target — active all winter in shallow to mid-depth water.

Also in Montana: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes

Brook Trout elsewhere: Ontario · Sweden · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · New York · Saskatchewan · Wyoming · Massachusetts · New Brunswick · Washington · Alberta · Connecticut · Vermont · California · Utah · Colorado · New Mexico · Nova Scotia · Idaho · Oregon · Nevada